Method of polishing and drying broom-handles.



Patented Aug. I9, I902. G. A. RIDLUN.

No. 707,l59.

G AND DRYING BBODM HANDLES. (Application filed Apr. 12, 1902.)

v METHOD OF POLISHIN (No Model.

fig/1.

Wi-z-rzes'ses 1 handles of rakes, pitchforks, &c.

dleshave heretofore been dried and polished by tumbling them in a rotary horizontal drum having in its axis a perforated supply-pipe, through which hot air is delivered into the; drum, the air passing radially from the cen- UNITED S'T'ATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES A. RIDLON, OF ALBA, MICHIGALLASSIGNOR onrwo rmnns T WILLIS K. JACKSON AND GEORGE A; JACKSON, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

METHOD oF PQLISHING AND DR Yl NGBROOM HANDLES.

SPEOIFICATIONforming part of Letters mat it... 707,159, dated. August 19, 1902.

Application filed April izfleoa To all whom it concern:-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A; RIDLON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alba, in the county of 'A'ntrim and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Polishing and Drying Broom-Handles, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toa method of polishing and drying green broom-handles and.

similar articles, such as dowel-rods and the Such hantral supply-pipe to the cylindrical wall'of the drum, where it escapes through numerous perforations in its periphery. As the handles lie lengthwise in the drum and against one another, the air by this method of drying cannot pass freely through the mass of handles in a radial direction and, seeking the course of least resistance, passes along the central air-inlet pipe and around the ends of the handles. Only those handles adjacent to the airpipe are thus efiectually exposed tothe hot- .air current, while the remaining handles are exposed principally at their ends, thus not only drying them unevenly and imperfectly, but requiring a comparatively long period besides.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method by which the handles while in the tumbling-drum are subjected to the action of a hot-air current in such manner 1 that all portions of the handles are effectually exposed to the current, thus expediting the drying operation and improving the quality of the handles. y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an apparatus by which my improved method may be practiced. Fig. 2 is a transverse section in line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in both figures.

My improved method in its most efiective embodiment consists in tumbling a massof the broom-handles in a rotary drum and at Serial 1101 102,606. (No model.)

the same time causing contrary currents of hot air to pass lengthwise through the cells or spaces between the contiguous handles from opposite ends of the drum toward its middle.

ported-in suitable bearings mounted in up.

right 'end frames C. These journals register'with, air inlet openings in the heads of ,the'drum and are provided with flanges 17,

which are secured to the heads by bolts b 12 D'D indicate stationary pipes or conduits which supply hot air to the drum through its hollow journals. These pipes are preferably connected with a blower or other air-forcing device, (not shown in the drawings,) which withdraws hot air from a suitable heater and delivers it into the drum; but, if desired, hot air may be circulated through the drum by a natural draft. The air-pipes D have horizontal branches at, which are loosely, but snugly, fitted in the reduced ends of the journals, as shown in Fig. 1. be arranged in'the conduits for regulating the supply of air to the drum. The drum is provided nearits ends with internal partitionsv or auxiliary heads E, forming, with the ad: jacent main heads, two air inlet and distributing chambers F, with which the hollow journals B communicate. The main he ds and the portions of the drum-body surrounding the air-inlet chambers F are air-tight, while the partitions E are provided with numerous perforations 6, through which the'hot air issues lengthwise of thedrum. into the main or drying chamber G, located between the perforated partitions. The portion of the drum which incloses this drying-chamber is perforated for the escape 0t the hot air and moisture and is provided with a door H for Ordinary dampers d may I introducing the handles, this door having a hasp or other suitable fastening. The drum is slowly driven by any appropriate means, the mechanism shown in the drawings consisting of a gear-pinion h, mounted on a driving-shaft H and meshing with a gear-rim h on the drum. In practicing my method in this machine the broom-handles or similar articles are placed in the drying-chamber G of the drum, preferably by bringing the dooropening to the top of the drum and spouting the handles into the same, the drying-chamber being filled to about two-thirds of its capacity. After closing the door the drum is set in motion and hot air is admitted thereto. The hot air entering the inlet-chambers F is distributed in the same and passes thence through the perforated partitions E into the drying-chamber G and lengthwise through the numerous small cells or spaces left between the mass of cylindrical handles. The two air-currents forced into opposite ends of the drying-chamber encounter each other in the spaces between the handles, producing a pressure which causes the air and moisture to be forced outwardly in all directions toward the periphery of the drum, where the same finally escapes after permeating the mass of handles. By thus passing the hot air lengthwise through the handles from opposite ends of the same the air is compelled to filter through the whole mass of handles both lengthwise and radially,thus completely exposing all of the same to the action of the air and thoroughly and uniformly drying them. As the hot air is effectually utilized in this manner, the period required to dry the handles is correspondingly shortened. As the handles are constantly rolled and tumimproving their appearance.

bled by the rotation of the drum, they become polished by attrition.

It has been found that broom-handles treated by this method are so evenly and completely dried that they are straight and not liable to warp and at the same time comparatively white and free from sap-marks, thus A larger percentage of No. 1 or first-grade handles is also obtained from thesame kind and quantity of timber, thereby enhancing the market value of the handles.

I do not wish to claim in this application the construction of the apparatus herein shown and described, as the same forms the subject of another application filed by me on or about the 23d day of December, 1901, Serial No. 86,953.

I claim as my invention- In the manufacture of broom-handles and similar articles, the herein-described polishing and drying method, which consists in rolling or tumbling a mass of the handles in an inclosing chamber, the axes of the handles being substantially parallel to that of the chamber, and simultaneously forcing opposing air-currents lengthwise through the interstices between the contiguous handles from opposite ends of the chamber, whereby the meeting air currents produce a pressure which causes the air and moisture to be forced laterally through the mass of handles in different directions, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 27th day of March,

CHARLES A. RIDLON. \Vitnesses:

CHR. SAARUP, R. D. McKAY. 

